Loaded-truck-counting apparatus.



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LOADED TRUCK COUNTING APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1, 1911.

1,013,797. Patented Jan. 2, 1912.

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RICHARD McGAI-IEY, 0F WALLA WALLA, WASHINGTON.

LOADED-TRUCK-COUNTING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2,1912.

Application filed August 1, 1911. Serial No. 641,850.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD MOGAi-IEY, a citizen of Walla WValla, in the county of Walla Valla and State of Washington, have invented a new and Improved Loaded- Truck- Counting Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The present invention relates more particularly to the improvement of an apparatus shown and described in an application for Patent No. 595,370, filed by me June 3, 1910, to which cross reference is here made.

The principal objects which the present invention has in view are: to provide means for locking the apparatus to prevent the same operating except when a loaded truck ispassing thereover; and to provide an operating mechanism more sensitive in its action to increase the scope of employment of the apparatus.

One embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, on an enlarged scale, a portion of the face plate of the tallying machine being removed; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the apparatus taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

As in the former construction disclosed in the application for patent above referred to, the floor sections 9, 9 are connected by the hinges 10 to a shaft 11. The shaft 11 in the present instance is extended through a guide slot 12 formed in the stringer plates 13. The stringer plates 13, as in the former construction. are formed of angle plate and are connected by brace bars 14. Beyond the sides of the stringer plates 13 the ends of the shaft 11 are bent to form upraised hooks having horizontal extensions 15. The extensions 15 are connected by means of the bolts 16 and nuts 17 to the brackets 18. The free ends of the brackets 18 may be swung to accommodate the disposition of the springs 19 and the operating lever 20 of the comptometer 21. The comptometer 21 is provided with a series of wheels 22 which are operated as is usual in comptometer wheels.

The extensions 15 are each provided with a pendant bolt 23, which bolts provide guides for the supporting springs 24, there being one such spring on each and opposite sides of the apparatus. Under normal conditions the springs 2 1- lift the shaft 11 to the upper end of the slot 12. In this position the lever 20 of the comptometer is swung to engage one of the teeth with which the first or unit wheel of the comptometer is provided. To prevent trifling with the apparatus or the accidental operation of the same the slide plates 25 are forced under the shaft 11 to hold the same, together with the lever 20, in this position. Any weight applied to the shaft 11 is thus carried by the plates 25 and the extension 26 thereof.

The plates 25 are shaped substantially as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and are provided with a slot 27 to receive the bolt 28. The bolt 28 is securely held in the angle bar standard 29 and extends through the slot 27 to guide the plates 25. The plates 25 are further guided by the standard 29 which is spaced apart from the upright walls of the stringer plates 13 to afford space for the plates 25.

To operate the plates 25 I have provided the springs 30. The springs 30 are mounted upon the bars 31 which are guided in their operation by the brackets 32 which have formed in the upper edge thereof an eyelet. The free end of the bars 31 are rigidly secured to the plates 25, a lug 33 being provided therefor. Under normal conditions the springs 30 operate to force the plates 25 toward and under the shaft 11 where the same extends through the stringer plates 13. In this position it will be seen that a person stepping upon the floor sections 9 at the ridge thereof, or above the shaft 11, exerts a pressure upon the said shaft and the extensions 26 of the plates 25 which prevents the withdrawal of the said plates from contact with the said shaft. It becomes necessary, therefore, to withdraw the plates 25 from engagement with the shaft 11 preliminary to exerting a downward pressure on the said shaft. For this purpose I have provided the rocking shaft 34. The shaft 34 extends across the front edge of that floor section 9 which may be regarded as the initial or entrance floor section for the apparatus. The shaft 34, as seen best in Fig. 3 of the drawings, is disposed to support the free edge of the said floor section above the ground or base on which the apparatus is disposed.

To serve as an incline or pathway for the wheels of the truck entering upon the floor section I have provided the flexible aprons 35, separated and disposed adjacent the opposite lateral edges of the said floor section. The aprons 35 guide the wheels of the truck to ride upon the floor section 9, and are separated at the center to avoid performing the same function for the foot of the operator trundling the truck.

The ends of the shaft 34 are connected to the short arms of crank levers 36, the long arm of each of which is pivotally connected to one of the bars 31. hen the truck is rolled on to the floor section 9 the weight is received primarily on the lifted edge of the said floor section and exerts a pressure downward on the shaft 34:. The shaft 34: being suspended by the short arms of the levers 36 which are fulcrumed on pivot bolts 37, rock the said levers 36 in lowering the edge of the floor section, and move the long arms of the said levers 36 to retract the bars 31 and plates 25 connected therewith. The weight of the truck being thus impressed on the floor section holds the shaft 34 in depressed position while the wheels of the truck move on to the space between the shaft 34: and, the shaft 11 and ultimately pass over the ridge of the floor sections 9, 9 above the said shaft 11. In this manner the plates 25 are maintained in the retracted position, freeing the shaft 11 to permit the depression thereof, which depression occurs as the load passes over the ridge of the floor sections. On the delivery side of the apparatus the truck rolls over the floor section at the delivery side, and thence ofl? the apparatus. When the weight of the truck is removed from the floor sections 9 the springs 24 immediately lift the shaft 11 and floor sections connected therewith to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. IVith the lift of the shaft 11 the springs 30, 30 operate to advance the plates 25 and to project the extensions 26 thereof under the shaft 11 as soon as the same passes above the said extensions. In this manner provision is made for the operation of the apparatus by the truck and the prevention of the operation of said apparatus by the person trundling the truck. The trundler of the truck in passing may step upon the floor section 9, but in doing so would naturally plant his foot on the surface of the floor section intermediate the shaft 11 and the shaft 34:. In doing this the pressure imparted by the weight upon the said shafts is borne equally, and the frictional contact of the shaft 11 on the extensions 26 is such as to prevent the withdrawal of the plates 25. This is true of all persons walking over the apparatus.

The casing 38 in which the comptometer 21 is secured is provided with the door or cover having perforations 39 formed therein whereby the totals of the comptometer wheels 22 may be viewed. This door or cover is secured by a shackle 40 which is passed over the staple 41 with which the casing is provided to be secured by any ordinary padlock.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a loaded truck counting apparatus, embodying a plurality of inclined floor sections and a suspension comptometer operat ing shaft therefor; a lock for said shaft; and means operable by one of said floor sections to release said lock.

2. In a loaded truck counting apparatus, embodying a plurality of inclined floor sections and a suspension comptometer operating shaft therefor; rigid supporting means for said shaft; and means connected with one of said floor sections for removing said supporting means.

3. In a loaded truck count-ing apparatus, embodying a plurality of inclined floor sections and a suspension comptometer operating shaft therefor; a sliding plate to engage said shaft in locking relation; and means connecting said plate with the free end of one of said sections to be released thereby from engagement with said shaft.

4. I11 a loaded truck counting apparatus, embodying a plurality of inclined floor sections and a suspension comptometer operating shaft therefor; a locking plate for said shaft; a rocking member for supporting the free end of one of said sections; and means connecting said plate and said member for removing said plate from engagement with said shaft when the free edge of said floor section is depressed.

5. In a loaded truck counting apparatus, embodying a plurality of inclined floor sections and a suspension comptometer operatingshaft therefor; a locking plate to support said shaft; a rocking member to support the free edge of one of said floor sections; and means operatively connecting said plate and said member to move the same in unison.

6. In a loaded truck count-ing apparatus, embodying a plurality of inclined floor sections and a suspension comptometer operating shaft therefor; a locking plate to support said shaft; a rocking member to support the free edge of one of said floor sections; means operatively connecting said plate and said member to move the same in unison; and auxiliary inclines connected with the free edge of the supported floor sect-ions for the guidance of the wheeled truck thereon.

7. In a loaded truck counting apparatus,

embodying a plurality of inclined floor sections and a suspension comptometer operating shaft therefor; a locking plate to support said shaft; a rocking member to support the free edge of one of said floor sections; means operatively connecting said plate and said member to move the same in unison; and a plurality of flexible aprons secured to the free edge of the supported floor sections and disposed adjacent the lateral edges thereof to leave a passage therebetween.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

RICHARD MoGAI-IEY.

-Witnesses:

GRACE MoGUIRE, W. I. MURPHY.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

